The consolations of science

pp. 7-23

in: Joseph Agassi, Science and culture, Berlin, Springer, 2003

Abstrakt

Science offers consolation. This merits attention in view of the topical debate concerning the aim of science: does it seek the truth or only utility? Pierre Duhem was the greatest advocate of the view that the aim of science is only utility (since the truth is unattainable). On top of utility, science offers terrific consolation in its very intellectual and aesthetic value, he added. Being a religious Catholic, he found consolation mainly in his faith. Yet, the consolation of science mattered to him. What is this consolation is not clear. And since this consolation is the object of attention here, it is not clear from the start what sort of consolation is of concern here. We may, of course, postpone this question for a while, and ask, what consolation do some individuals find in science? This may hopefully offer a clue to the more objective question, what consolation does science offer?